"BILLINGSGATE."

Evening Star, Issue 11452, 21 January 1901, Page 3

"BILLINGSGATE."

According to Sir Walter Besant, who writes of the subject in the ' Century,' no one need go to Billingsgate hereafter hoping to hear the fishwives rail against each other in the slang which has long been classic by the name of the locality. The old river port of Billingsgate has long be.en filled up, and a convenient quay stands in its place. A new H market has also been erected in place of the old sheds. With these improvement* it is said to be now the finest fish market in the world. Formerly ib was graced by the presence of the fisberwomen, those ladies celebrated in versa and in prose, who contributed a new noun to the language. The word "Billingsgate" conveys sion of ready epeecb and mother wit, both speech and wit unrestrained, of rolling torrents of invective, of a rare invention in abase, and repartooe as quick and dexterious as the play of singlestick between two masters of defence. The fisherwotnen of the market enjoved the reputation of baing more skilled in this language than any other class in London. The carmen, the brewers' draymen, the watermen, the fellowship porters were acknowledged as masters of Billingsgate—in fact, they all practised ib daily; bub none, ib was recognised, none, in fnlneas and richness of detail, in decoration, in invention, could rise to the heights reached by the fisherwomen of the market. They were as strong as men of their own class; they could wrestle and throw most men. If a visitor offended one of Lhem she ducked him in the river. They smoked pipes like men, and they drank rum and beer like men. They were a picturesque part of tho market, presiding over their stalls. But the market knows them no more. The tiaherwoman hss been banhhsd from the place. She lingers still in the dried fish market opposite, but she is changed into a smart, decent, homelv woman of business.